Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: French chicness, leading ladies and hair transformations

Welcome to Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed, a place where each month Mollie King shares her round-up of the things bringing her joy in these strange and uncertain times. Check back each month for uplifting music, self care tips and, hopefully, a smile being put on your face.

May is typically thought of as the month for change and I think we can all agree that we're united in welcoming that with open arms this year. I for one have been loving visiting friends in their gardens. I never thought I’d get so excited to sit wrapped up in a blanket, quite often with a few surprise drops of rain and the inevitable “Shall we call it a night now? It’s really cold.” But oh how I’ve loved it! Evenings that start with me trying to layer thermals under my jacket and jeans will hopefully be a distant memory soon, but for now I’m choosing to embrace it. I'm just grateful that I can see my loved ones. I hope you’ve been able to do the same.

I have found some real treats for you this month. From new music and TV, to fashion and beauty, I have got lots to share with you. Let’s kick things off with the soundtrack to my past month…

Singles

It’s such a pleasure to bring this name to you this month. I am truly excited about this artist and would recommend keeping an eye on her if Taylor Swift, Pale Waves and Paramore are your cup of tea. Chloe Moriondo, from Detroit, started off singing covers on YouTube with her ukulele and gathered fans all over the world before showcasing her indie pop edge with songs like Girl On TV and I Eat Boys. At only 18-years-old she has already produced unique and insightful lyrics, setting her up to be a huge force and talent. She has been applauded for her individuality and ability to speak to younger generations. Combining singalong pop melodies with an edge, Moriondo is on the rise and one to add to your playlist.

My next must-check-out artist already provided us with the sound of lockdown, alongside The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, with her subtle yet hypnotically catchy song Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head). I’m delighted that London-based Beabadoobee is providing us with a follow up single and it’s definitely one to put her right back into the spotlight. At the age of 20, she's already supported British supergroup The 1975 and has been nominated for the Rising Star award at this year's Brit Awards. Her latest release Last Day On Earth has a magical 90s feel to it and sees her team up with The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy again to co-write this. This track is cool and understated and continues to show that is one of the most exciting artists right now.

Albums

As one of the world's top songwriters right now, it’s no surprise Julia Michaels has excelled with her debut album. And boy has it been worth the wait. Not only has she written some of the biggest pop hits in the last decade - Justin Bieber’s Sorry, Selena Gomez’s Hands To Myself, Anne-Marie’s 2002 - but she also, deservedly, landed a Grammy nomination this year for her song If The World Was Ending with partner JP Saxe. Michaels is often praised for her individual outlook and ability to put her feelings into a pop melody. This debut album, Not In Chronological Order, follows on from her EPs and is one of the most anticipated projects in the music industry for a long time. You can’t help but think of the huge selection of songs she must’ve had to choose from and the difficult decision of which ones to keep for herself and which ones to hand over. The album kicks off with the powerful All Your Exes demonstrating her pop/rock side, but soon after offers up tracks like Little Did I Know, which is a beautiful ballad straight from the heart. I can only imagine how many pop stars would have loved to have got their hands on this track. As someone who has followed Michaels’ career as a songwriter for almost 10 years now it’s a joy to see her release her genius workings under her own name and I sincerely hope she has the success she deserves.

Film

Operation Varsity Blues is proof that Netflix can, yet again, deliver a gripping, can’t-quite-believe-it, true-life-scandal documentary. With real-life footage and incredible re-enactment scenes, this doc will have you picking your jaw off the ground as you watch how broken the American college admissions system is. This follows the true life events that were uncovered back in 2019, when wealthy families were found to have bribed prestigious universities to ensure their children's places. Sums of up to $500,000 were often paid, which began after former basketball coach, William ‘Rick’ Singer pitched himself to parents as a ‘college counsellor’. If scandal amongst beautiful picture-perfect multi-million dollar houses is your thing, look no further! This is the 2021 equivalent of Netflix’s Fyre Festival shock-umentary. Sorry, I mean documentary!

TV

Having just been renewed for a second season, we need to talk about Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia. If your viewing algorithms are anything like mine, you were probably shown this show every time you turned on the TV. This American drama/comedy follows Georgia, a mum who got pregnant at 15 and her now teenage daughter, Ginny, as they move to New England having been on the run for years. This enjoyable watch follows the dynamic between a daughter who feels the burden of looking after her mum, and the ever-charismatic Georgia, her 30-year-old mum. This is a ‘put your feet up at the end of the day’ watch, led by a strong female cast. Love that.

Fashion

As someone whose dream it is to dress so French even natives would believe I was born and bred in Paris, I want to express my love for two of my favourite French brands. Let’s start with the ever-so-chic, Claudie Pierlot. To name all the reasons I'm a fan of this designer might get monotonous, but let’s just say it’s sophisticated, yet effortless at the same time, the ultimate perfect pairing, right? This season they are boasting pastel colours alongside classic eco-friendly suede pieces and stylish tailored jackets. With a care-free attitude and desire to create for “the women of Paris” this brand is instantly loveable and a firm favourite in my wardrobe.

A few streets away, fellow Parisian brand Maje is my next obsession. Managing to straddle understated elegance with quirky details and a classic sense of style, Maje makes me excited to shop and dress up again. Founder Judith Milgrom has created a limited edition collection celebrating the charms of the Mediterranean. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough, Remade With Love is a collection made from 100% up-cycled fabrics from past seasons to symbolise their commitment to being an eco-responsible fashion label. If embroidery and crochet immediately tempt you, like they do me, I would recommend visiting Maje, credit card at the ready!

Beauty

With hair and beauty salons back open, you can’t scroll through Instagram for two minutes without seeing a Reel of someone’s before and after lockdown hair transformation. I have to be honest, you’d think I’d seen enough, but I still can’t get enough! London’s super salon, Daniel Galvin, is a leading expert in colour. Not only are the hair outcomes visually pleasing (no surprises there), but even the salon itself could be featured in interiors magazines worldwide. From classic highlights to balayage, the salon has excelled in the colour department and styling too. Fancy some post lockdown lights, look no further.

Wellness

Collagen seems to be the buzzword of the moment. Everywhere you look it’s collagen drinks, collagen shakes, collagen skincare products. ‘What is it and why do we need it?’ you might be thinking. Well, collagen is a natural protein in the human body, found in our bones, muscles, skin and tendons. It actually makes up a third of the protein we have in our body. It helps new skin cells grow, but as we get older our collagen production slows down, meaning wrinkles form and cartilage weakens. Oh joy! Enough of the biology lesson, you say! Products claiming to boost collagen are everywhere, however the product I’ve recently turned to is the Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. As an unflavoured powder, it’s easy to throw in your cup of coffee in the morning, or even glass of water, and know you’ve done your bit to help look after your body. With Jennifer Aniston at the helm of this brand it’s enough to tempt us into giving this a try and surely we’ll all start looking like her after a few spoonfuls, right!? I can only hope!

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, from £24.95 | Beauty Bay